Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"The only pretty girl I see is you," he said, his voice soft but unwavering, his gaze firmly fixed on me while his words left my mind frozen, a confusing mix of disbelief and a fluttering warmth spreading through my chest. I could feel a blush creeping up my cheeks, my breath catching in my throat as I tried to find the right words to respond, but all I could manage was a shaky exhale.
'Did he just say the only pretty girl he sees is me?' I stared back at him, a mix of confusion, amusement, and bewilderment washing over me.
Despite every instinct screaming at me to break the eye contact, my eyes and heart betrayed me, keeping our gazes locked.
"Evyaan, what did you—" I began, my voice trembling, my words catching in my throat as I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—a brief moment of vulnerability—before he seemed to snap back to reality.
"Uh, Samayara, I meant... I mean, I'm not lying... well, never mind." His cheeks flushed a deep red, and he stammered, the confidence he had just moments ago completely unraveling.
"Thanks, I'll go get my check-up done," he mumbled hurriedly, his voice barely above a whisper, before darting off to the auditorium, leaving me standing there, bewildered.
My heart was pounding in my chest, confusion and an inexplicable ache swirling inside me. I wanted to call after him, to say something, but the words were lost, tangled with the emotions I didn't quite understand.
'He must not have meant it.' 'But he clearly said he did.' 'Then it must be a bet or something because there's no way Ace Evyaan just hinted that he's into you.' 'Yes, he did.'
The voices in my head carried on their conversation without my body, leaving me stranded in this hallway, where people might judge me for acting weird because I am acting weird.
I shifted my feet in an attempt to silence the voices in my head, but it didn't make a difference. Fortunately, I reached the plantation site without being even a minute late. The teachers and team were very helpful and even insisted on me taking a rest, but this activity had been my dream since my early high school years.
The whole training revolved around caring for plants and trees, but there was one particular activity called the WISH TREE. We were supposed to make a wish, put it in a box, and bury it underneath the tree.
It could be anything—promises or wishes. I had dreamed of adding silly notes of promises and wishes for the future, but now they sat tarnished with my failed friendships and relationships in the corner.
My thoughts were a whirlwind, tangled up with memories of past interactions and the puzzling exchange that had just taken place.
What did Evyaan mean? I couldn't focus, replaying his words over and over, each time trying to decipher their hidden meaning. I was lost in this confusion until the teacher's voice broke through, asking me to demonstrate how to plant a shrub.
